


Elves of the Underground

by Echo_star



Series: 12 days of X-mas oneshots; Underground Edition [12]
Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 17:05:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13104663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_star/pseuds/Echo_star
Summary: When they realise John is overworked, the elves of the underground find a way to help him out





	Elves of the Underground

**Author's Note:**

> OMG 12 days are done!!! 
> 
> A Huge thank you to my favourite anon for being with me for the crazy task of writing 12 Christmas stories :D 
> 
> Also thank you to everyone that has read these stories!! We love hearing your thoughts and knowing how you enjoyed (or caught the feels for) the stories.

John dropped his head into his hands, sometimes the task of keeping the underground, well, above ground was overwhelming.

During Christmas it was harder than normal. Between trying to create a festive atmosphere to boost morale, find enough supplies, food and clothing to last through the winter, there’s just not enough hours in the day to get everything done.

There’s a pile of paperwork on the corner of his desk, invoices, bills and files. So many files. He needs to fortify outside to prepare for the cold, they need firewood, fuel and so much more.

He can’t sleep, thoughts and ideas constantly running through his head on ways to improve and save what little resources they do have. He doesn’t want to burden Lorna and Marcos, with news of the pregnancy flying through the underground they have enough on their plate.

He’s deep within the plans for the next supply run, so he doesn’t hear Clarice as she walks into the room. It’s not until her hands glide in to his hair, nails lightly scratching that he looks back and sees her behind him.

“Go to bed proudstar.” She whispered softly, her words brushing his ear.

He brushed his lips softly against her, not quite a kiss “I will. Later.” He said as he pulled back, turning to refocus on the plans.

He heard her sigh in exasperation, felt the gentle touch on his shoulder before he was once again left alone with the task at hand. 

* * *

 

Clarice grumbled as she left the room.  
Insufferable man. He won’t seek help from anyone and is fine with running himself into the ground. Well not while she’s around. She won’t allow it. As she makes her way to her room she comes up with a plan. If John won’t delegate his tasks, perhaps they can do it for him. Excited, Clarice finds everyone and outlines her plan. First things first, no wonder he’s stressed, the office is messy enough that it’s stressful just looking at it.

Everyone agreed to help. 

“John has barely slept this week, so how are we going to keep him away long enough to clean the office?” 

“I could give him a thought.” Sonia suggested, a sliver of pink mist escaping. "Just enough to put him to sleep.”

"I’ve got tomorrow night covered. It’s not the first time I’ve needed 'our oh so fearless leader’ to sleep.” Lorna piped up grinning. 

Clarice eyed the smug look on Lorna’s face before shifting her gaze to Sonia. When Sonia shrugged 'why not’, Clarice reluctantly agreed. 

* * *

 

 

Clarice decided to head to the study early, incase Lorna needed any help convincing John to go to bed. 

The scene in the office, is the last thing she expected to find; John. Asleep. In the office? Two things that don’t go together. 

She walked forward, softly calling his name. When there’s no response she quietly sighs; she wants him asleep, but not _here_. 

She walked up to his desk, cautiously eying a half finished glass of milk and a few cookies on a plate. It’s something considering he skipped dinner, again. 

John groaned before suddenly shifting to sit upright. Startled, Clarice steped back, not noticing the file behind her. It falls with a bang, and Clarice froze as John blearily eyes her. 

“Clarice? Where am I? Are we home?” He asked.

Concerned she moves back towards him, no longer hesitant.   
"We are in the office, at HQ. A-are you ok?” 

He shakes his head before a sleepy look comes over his face. He looks pretty adorable, all sleepy. She reaches out to smooth back a lock of hair that’s falling offside to the rest. 

He catches her arm grinning, then she’s in his lap, his arms tight around her. 

Clarice shifts, hissing “John!” looking around anxiously to make sure no one can see them. 

They are new, their relationship practically an infant if that. They had decided they wanted to keep quiet about it for now. But he’s blowing that to smithereens, with his hands around her waist, his face buried against her neck. 

'It would be just my luck-', and before she could finish that thought Lorna appeared in the doorway and when the green haired woman sees the scene a smirk appeared. 

Clarice flushed, whilst John cheerfully spoke.   
"Hey Lorna! Back already?”

As Clarice looked between the two, to the cookies and milk on the desk and Lorna’s earlier promise she shot a glare at Lorna.   
"What did you do?”

“I slipped him a little something. Nothing to worry about. I told you I would handle it.” She says shrugging before moving closer.   
"Except he hasn’t finished it yet. Come on John, now that Clarice is here she can blink you upstairs.”

His grip tightens slightly and before he can say or do more that he will regret, when he's in his right mind, she slips out of his arms.   
"Alright big boy, lets go!”  She pictures his room, the portal simple with the proximity. 

"That’s what she said.” Lorna snorted. Clarice shot her a glare. Then the Mistress of Magnetism peered at the portal.  
"You did that one easily, you must have a good picture of Johns room.” She commented suggestively. 

"Less talking more moving.” Clarice grit out.

Lorna rolled her eyes before helping John through, staggering under his weight.

Lorna pops back through moments later.   
"We have time. I’m going to get Marcos."

 

  
They convene in the office and everyone stands there for a moment, marvelling at the sheer mess of the room, except for Lorna. She marched into the middle of the room, orders at the ready. 

“Us women will tackle the paperwork on the desk. Men, you can take the floor and the bookshelf. Any Questions?” When no one spoke up, they went to work. 

The paperwork on the desk slowly disappeared as it was filed away. When their team were nearly finished Clarice turned to Lorna.   
"How long will that milk last for?” She asked. 

“Milk?” Sonia questioned looking at Lorna. 

“A couple of hours at most." Lorna smiles. "He’ll be down for the count for 5 hours, and will be groggy for an hour after that. He metabolises it fast, but it works every time.” 

Shatter looks slightly aghast. "You’ve drugged John- multiple times?!?!” 

“Well yeah, those early days he would go hard and then be completely useless. At least this way he gets a few hours of rest. I should have kept a closer watch to make sure he didn’t over extend himself.” Lorna explained, a sour expression crossing her face. 

The girls got back to work then, they finish relativley quickly and went to help the boys. It took them four hours in total. When they were finished they all took a step back. The room was now neat; loose paper filed away, all important due dates marked on the calendar and all scribbled notes converted to a neat printout courtesy of Sage. The bookshelves were tidied and the books arranged in alphabetical order. The papers, books, notes, and whatever else littered the floor previously had all been picked up, filed away, or tacked to the board. 

“So tomorrow, you all set?” Lorna asked the group. 

“Yeah, I have the burner phones. We will meet here tomorrow night and make our calls. Then we can see about collecting everything but how are we going to deal with John tomorrow?” 

"I could-“ Lorna started.

“No!” Clarice interjected. "I’ll deal with it. Sonia can you do your thing the night after?” 

“Sure. I’ll give a light suggestion, promise.” The redhead said, a lazy grin on her face. 

They looked around the room one last time, pleased before disappearing for the night. Marcos, Sage, Sonia and Shatter ready to take on the next tasks in the upcoming day.   
  


 

John walked into his office the next morning and audibly gasped. It was clear. There was nothing on the floor or desk, the filing cabinets had been straightened and every loose leaf piece of paper was filed under the subject the paper discussed. The bookshelf was fixed and the books were alphabetized. There was no dust build up and even the desk looked polished. He exited the office and nearly ran over Marcos. 

"Dude, you alright?" Marcos asked steadying John with a hand on his arm. 

"My office is clean." John whispered. 

"Seriously? That room hasn't been clean since you started this station." Marcos commented. 

"It's spotless Marcos." He said aghast. 

"Well maybe it'll make everything more efficient." His best friend suggested. 

"Yeah," John muttered distractedly, "maybe." 

* * *

 

  
Night 2:

Clarice sat on the corner of his desk. “Do you want to watch a movie together? Your choice, it can even be that one you like so much with the giant green dude who gets angry.” She proposed. 

John leaned back in his chair, admiring his now too clean office, before eying the purple hair woman who consumes too many of his thoughts.   
"You're being awfully....cooperative. You hate that movie. Why would you offer to voluntarily watch it?” 

 "That’s what friends do, right?” Clarice grinned, shrugging.

John grabbed her hand, gently tugging her till she’s standing between his legs, in front of him.   
"So....we’re just friends?” 

"We're- a lot." Clarice replied. "So movie?” She laughed softly.

"Sure.” He grinned. 

 

The group of delegates stare at the pile of burner phones on the table. No two calls can come from the same phone lest someone starts connecting the dots. Each of them have contacts they have made prior to and since joining the underground. 

Marcos had spent the majority of his childhood on the streets, though not in Georgia, he has connections he’s made through the underground and when he was still with the cartel. There’s a operation, unknown to most south of Montgomery that has some ex cartel sympathisers who work for a large charity. It’s further than they usually go, but it’s virtually unknown. Not just anyone can walk in there however, so he has to make the trip tomorrow. 

As her home state, Sonia made connections prior to joining the underground. Through her work at the women’s shelter, she helped other mutants escape their torment and move on to a better life. Whilst no one owed her anything, a few women who are now, physically and financially, in better positions may be willing to donate to the cause. 

Since joining the underground, through filtering information, Sage managed to determine those most likely to donate to mutant causes. This includes local churches, nonprofit organisations and some local businesses which look like they may be hiding mutants/(run by hidden mutants?)

Shatter grew up in the streets, while he was growing, he had visited every homeless shelter in the area and fostered unbreakable relations with the people. He phones there knowing with absolute certainty that the people will give him all that they spare. 

Their collective goal is to find donations for clothing, toys, blankets, canned goods, money or anything else that they can supply. 

Marcos can get access to a large supplies of food; all excess stock or items nearing the end of their shelf life which get routed to food pantries and homeless shelters, hoping that the nearly expired food won't go to waste. They collect as much as they can give out but the rest is often wasted. If they come they can get as much food as they want before it’s dumped. It won’t set them up for long, depending on how long the items last, but it will hopefully see them through Christmas at least. 

Sonia’s contacts lead to some promised cash donations, spare clothes, household supplies and toiletries. Women who have scrapped themselves up and built a better life, who have lived with nothing so are more than willing to donate to help others. 

The businesses Sage contacts, are willing to donate fresh food and some small cash donations. No one store can donate too much, less they draw suspicion, but they recommend other businesses whose owners may donate a small amounts. 

The homeless shelters are stressed to the maximum due to the time of year, but they offer a lucrative contact, a mutant who comes from family money whom is more than willing to support the underground. Their newfound patron pledges toys for children, and enough money to pay the banks water, heat, and electricity bills. 

Once finished, each burner phone is used once before being disconnected. They will need to be restocked shortly. 

The group check what they have accumulated between them. Together, they have enough pledges that they should be set for the coming months, hopefully with enough surplus they can handle any lock downs imposed in the near future.  

  
  
The next afternoon, when John sat down to phone the networks contacts to see about restocking food and supplies, Lorna popped by and forced him to evacuate his office. Lorna had John deal with an imminent crisis until nightfall, past any such time which was appropriate to call their contacts. Sighing John resigned himself to accomplish the task the next evening. 

* * *

 

 

Night 3: 

  
"You keen to watch the game tonight, buddy?” Marcos asked as he clapped John on the shoulder, steering him towards the tv room. 

John eyed him dubiously.   
"Since when are you into baseball? You rarely watch any sport aside from rugby.” 

“Yeah well Lorna’s having girl time with Sonia, Clarice and Sage.” He faux pouted. “I got kicked out.” The Hispanic man elaborated. 

"Because I’m sure you really wanted to join in the girl talk whilst doing beauty treatments.” John teased grinning.

“Pillow fights." Marcos sighed blissfully before laughing.   
"Since when does Lorna care about beauty treatments?” 

They are both still chuckling when Sonia walks by, talking with Trader. John looks to the pair before turning an inquisitive eye to Marcos. 

"Are you taking a break from girl time?” John called out to Sonia.

Sonia looks between the two, a steady mask in place until she sees Marcos vigorously nodding his head behind John. 

"Yeah, you know how it is: gossip, nails and all that. I needed to talk with Trader, but I guess I’ll be off.” She gave a little wave before striding upstairs. 

Marcos ignored the look John gave him, instead turning to switch the tv on.   
"I bet Thursday’s supply run that the Metts will win.” He commented. 

 

  
Clarice met Lorna at her room, ready to blink them down to the clearing beside the HQ where they can chop the firewood.

Clarice pictures their destination and pulls the portal, Lorna steps through and Clarice follows. 

The clearing is pretty small, a grassy area with a few logs piled messily to the side. Clarice notices the green glow of Lorna’s hand, feels the touch of wind as two axes come wizzing by her head.   
"Lorna!" She hissed looking at her friend with wide eyes.

Lorna rolled her eyes at Clarice.   
"You know I wouldn’t hit you.” 

Lorna three the axes so they imbedded themselves into one of the larger logs before she starts viciously chopping, a dark grin on her face as she released pent up emotion, pieces of bark and off cuts of wood flying. 

Clarice sighed before taking one of the smaller logs, she created a small portal and placed the log halfway through. As she let the portal collapse, the wood was severed. 

They each repeated their individual processes, Lorna breaking down the larger logs, Clarice the smaller. Within the next hour both were sweating, despite the cool night the continuous use of their powers draining. 

As Clarice finished the last of the smaller logs, she glanced at Lorna who was nearly through the last large log. Lorna was tiring, her body shaking slightly. Not wanting her friend to exhaust herself too much, Clarice asked. "Can you lift the wood with the axes?” 

“Sure." Lorna grimaced as she threw the axes as hard as she could to embed themselves in the side of the log, hands shaking as she lifted the wood off the ground. 

Clarice pulled a portal at the end, and bit by but they decimated the remaining wood until they were done. 

They are both out of breath as they survey the clearing. The wood's chopped, though it looks like it was done by a freak tornado. Pieces of wood and debris scattered throughout the clearing. However there are three distinct piles of logs, the largest wooden logs, the medium and the small, all of which are neatly stacked together. 

They make their way inside, both practically shaking with exhaustion. 

Clarice showers, then flops into bed. She’s lightly dosing when John slips into her room. He sat on the edge of her bed, as she mumbled hello. 

“Was girls night that tiring?” 

"Yup." She groaned out as his hands gently massage her back. "It was draining.” 

She starts drifting off to sleep, feeling the press of his lips against her cheek before he’s gone. 

She grins, before unconsciousness consumes her, glad she’s helped eased his workload. 

 

  
The next morning John wakes before dawn anticipating needing the next few hours to chop enough firewood for the next week. He finds one of the two axes resting in the hollow of a dead tree a few feet into the woods. The adults keep the axes there so that the children can't just happen upon them. 

He takes the 10 minute walk to the clearing and drops the axe in shock. He sees the three mounds of corresponding size but what surprises him is the complete state of disaster the clearing is in. There are shards of wood scattered everywhere. Bits and pieces of wood sharp enough to puncture skin, not his skin of course. Nearby trees newly sport jagged gashes and the second axe is nearly four inches into a Cyprus. 

Instead of cutting wood John spends an hour crumpling the sharp wooden spears into mulch. When he completes that simple task he hikes back to the bank with a load of firewood and goes back to sleep. 

* * *

 

Night 4: 

  
Clarice watched from the spot where she’s sitting with Lorna, they were watching a movie whilst they wait for John to go to bed. Clarice can’t keep her eyes from drifting to where Sonia is talking to John. Whilst the two have been over for along time, she trusts John and she thinks she and Sonia have been getting along pretty well, Sonia’s gift is kind of hard to prevent. 

“-and your not listening to me, are you?” Lorna softly pitches a handful of small coins which land around her, dragging her attention back to her friend.

“Sorry. I was just-“ Clarice began.

“You were just jealously watching John and Sonia." She teased before seriously adding. "Sonia won’t do anything more than she promised. They are over. You know that." She said reassuring the green eyes woman. 

“Your right. Sorry. So Marcos and Shatter will be back soon, right? With the donations?” 

Lorna lit up at the mention of Marcos. “Yeah. I spoke to Marcos not long ago, and Sage is monitoring communications to make sure they get back okay. They should be here within the hour.” 

Shatter and Marcos had gone out to collect all the donations, they left early this morning in one of the vans. They returned at midday with a full load from the immediate area that Sonia and Sage had contacted. They have reached out to Shatter's contact but haven’t heard back yet. They were currently returning from the operation Marcos had contacted, hopefully with a van full on food. No one had seen the donations yet, since John's been around, they were being stored in Caitlin’s room. 

Clarice glanced up as John called to them, saying he was off to bed. The girls responded in a chorus of sleep well, smiling as Sonia came to sit with them. 

“Hopefully that works, we will need to wait awhile to be sure he follows through, but we are free for now!” Sonia says smiling. 

The girls settle in to watch the Christmas movie playing on the tv. 

An hour later Sage walks in. “Is John asleep? The guys are pulling in now.” 

Lorna looked at Clarice and Sonia.   
"You two go check John, then meet us by the truck so we can transport everything. Okay?” 

The two respond afirmatively, before checking in on John. Seeing him fast asleep, so they portal to the truck. 

Marcos is talking with Lorna when they approach.  
"Shatter went to find some people to help. For now shall we get started?” 

Clarice grinned before opening a portal. It kinda sucks she can’t do more to help, but at least she shortens the trip. 

More people come and together they quickly get everything to Caitlin’s room. Once everyone’s through Clarice jumped, the portal collapsing after her, and is shocked by how much they have managed to accumulate. 

Marcos grinned at her look of surprise.   
"We did well, huh? Some people can be pretty generous.” 

The room is filled with bags, boxes and a some children’s toys. They quickly sort through everything; the bags of clothes put aside to go in the communal wardrobe for those that need them. There’s some bags of toys which will be great for the kids, some household goods, some blankets and a box of board games. 

Once they clear through the majority of it, they help Caitlin who’s checking through the food to see what she can make for a celebratory Christmas meal. There’s lots of canned and boxed food and some fresh produce which are nearing their expiry date. All together there’s enough food for Caitlin to make a Christmas meal of instant mash potatoes, smoked ham, some canned vegetables and gravy. There’s even satchets of jelly for dessert. All in all the food is practically gourmet after living on ramen, MRE's and Mac-n-cheese. 

The group set aside the food for Christmas dinner and transport the rest of it into the storehouse. It takes an hour to clear Caitlin's room. 

Yawning Clarice leaned back, stretching. Marcos reappeared carrying a big mailing envelope. He makes room on the floor before dumping the contents on the ground. Out spills notes, coins and cheques. Everyone, bar Shatter, gasped before turning to him. 

“I have counted the money and people were kind enough to donate $2,230. That should take care of everything for awhile.”  

Grinning, they take it to Johns office, leaving the envelope on the desk with a note inside upon which they've scribbled: We hope you've enjoyed a lighter work load, we've collected donations, restocked our cupboards, and done other tasks. Do not over stress yourself or we will be back, Merry Christmas-the Elves of the Underground. They group bid each other goodnight before dispersing.   
  


 

John entered the office at midmorning determined to call the networks contacts and attempt to restock. His eyes immediately zone in on the large mailing envelope. 

Cautiously John opened the package. His eyes widen and he grinned as he sees the amount of money stuffed into it. He gingerly tugged out the paper and laughed as he reads the note. 

"Elves of the Underground, huh?" He chuckled. "Merry Christmas." John whispered to his empty office as he leaned back in his chair. 


End file.
